Impact of Unto This Last on Mahatma Gandhi

The book Unto This Last, written by the English social thinker John Ruskin in 1860, had a profound and lasting influence on Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy and socio-economic ideas. Gandhi’s encounter with this work marked a turning point in his intellectual and moral development, shaping many of his later thoughts on equality, labour, simplicity, and the dignity of manual work. He considered it one of the most transformative readings of his life, comparable in importance to the Bhagavad Gita.

Background of Unto This Last

Unto This Last originated as a series of essays by John Ruskin, first published in Cornhill Magazine in 1860, and later compiled as a book in 1862. The title is derived from the Gospel of Matthew (20:14) — “I will give unto this last, even as unto thee” — emphasising the principle of economic and social justice.
Ruskin’s central argument was a critique of industrial capitalism and laissez-faire economics. He rejected the prevailing notions of wealth accumulation, competition, and self-interest as the guiding principles of society. Instead, he proposed that:

• The good of the individual is inseparable from the good of society.
• All forms of honest labour hold equal dignity and moral worth.
• The true wealth of a nation lies in the well-being of its people, not in material riches.

These ethical foundations of economy and social harmony deeply resonated with Gandhi, who saw in Ruskin’s work a moral and spiritual alternative to the exploitative industrial civilisation of the West.

Gandhi’s Encounter with the Book

Mahatma Gandhi first read Unto This Last in 1904, while returning from Johannesburg to Durban by train during his years in South Africa. A close friend, Henry Polak, lent him the book. Gandhi later wrote in his autobiography, The Story of My Experiments with Truth, that he could not put it down once he began reading it. He read it through the night and was so moved that he resolved to change his life according to its teachings.
The impact was immediate and transformative. Gandhi described the experience as revolutionary, stating that the book “overwhelmed” him and “brought about an instantaneous and practical transformation” in his life.

Core Ideas that Influenced Gandhi

Gandhi identified three key principles from Unto This Last that he said left a permanent imprint on his philosophy:

1. The good of the individual is contained in the good of all.
   • Gandhi interpreted this as the moral and social duty of every person to work for collective welfare rather than self-interest.
   • This idea became the foundation of his concept of Sarvodaya — the “upliftment of all” — which later became a cornerstone of his social and economic thought.
2. The dignity of labour — all work has equal value.
   • Ruskin argued that society should not degrade manual labour and that the work of a craftsman or farmer is as honourable as that of a scholar or merchant.
   • Gandhi adopted this belief wholeheartedly, making it central to his campaigns for Swadeshi (self-reliance) and bread labour. He insisted that everyone, including intellectuals, should engage in productive physical work.
3. A life of simplicity and community living.
   • Ruskin’s critique of materialism and advocacy of simple living struck a chord with Gandhi’s growing disillusionment with modern industrial society.
   • He concluded that a just and moral society must be based on cooperation, self-sufficiency, and minimal dependence on material wealth.

Establishment of the Phoenix Settlement

Deeply moved by Ruskin’s message, Gandhi sought to put these ideals into practice. In 1904, he established the Phoenix Settlement near Durban, South Africa. The settlement embodied the principles he had absorbed from Unto This Last:

• Common ownership of property and means of production.
• Equality of all residents, regardless of occupation.
• Self-sufficient living through agriculture and handicrafts.
• Communal labour, shared meals, and simplicity in lifestyle.

Phoenix became a living experiment in Ruskin’s social ethics, serving as the prototype for Gandhi’s later ashrams in India, such as the Sabarmati Ashram and Sevagram Ashram, which were founded on similar ideals.

Influence on Gandhi’s Economic Philosophy

Ruskin’s influence can be seen throughout Gandhi’s economic and social philosophy, particularly in his concepts of Sarvodaya, Trusteeship, and Swadeshi:

• Sarvodaya (Welfare of All): Gandhi’s idea of a just society, where everyone’s welfare is interconnected, is a direct outcome of Ruskin’s principle that the good of the individual is contained in the good of all.
• Trusteeship: Gandhi’s belief that wealth and resources should be held in trust for the benefit of society reflects Ruskin’s call for moral responsibility in economic life.
• Swadeshi and Self-Reliance: Ruskin’s emphasis on local production and dignity of labour inspired Gandhi’s promotion of village industries, spinning, and khadi as symbols of self-sufficiency.

Gandhi thus transformed Ruskin’s Christian social ethics into a practical framework for Indian rural reconstruction and economic decentralisation.

Moral and Philosophical Influence

The ethical dimension of Unto This Last harmonised with Gandhi’s own religious and spiritual quest. He saw in Ruskin’s teachings a blend of truth (Satya), non-violence (Ahimsa), and service (Seva) — values that later shaped his philosophy of Satyagraha.
Where Ruskin wrote from a Christian perspective, Gandhi interpreted the ideas through a Hindu lens, aligning them with the principles of Bhagavad Gita and Upanishadic thought. For Gandhi, the book became not merely a treatise on economics but a moral gospel of social justice and compassion.

Gandhi’s Translation: Sarvodaya

In 1908, Gandhi translated Unto This Last into Gujarati under the title Sarvodaya, meaning “the welfare of all.” The translation was intended to make Ruskin’s ideas accessible to Indian readers.
In his preface, Gandhi noted that the book had changed his perspective on economic life and human relationships. He saw Sarvodaya not merely as a translation but as a manifesto for moral economics and an appeal for a new social order based on cooperation, equality, and love.

Long-Term Impact on Gandhi’s Thought

The influence of Unto This Last on Gandhi endured throughout his life and can be traced in several of his later writings and movements:

• His emphasis on rural upliftment and village industries as the backbone of the Indian economy.
• His critique of industrial civilisation in Hind Swaraj (1909), where he argued that true civilisation lies in moral progress rather than material advancement.
• His ashram life, which embodied principles of collective labour, simplicity, and equality.
• His approach to non-violent social reform, rooted in compassion and service to others.